The exterior bodies of vehicles are primarily manufactured from steel, other metal alloys, and composite materials. The materials from which the exterior bodies of vehicles are manufactured for the most part are not plastic materials. Thus, when a force is applied to the exterior body of a vehicle during a collision, the portion of the exterior body subjected to the force does not return to its original shape. To the contrary, exterior bodies of vehicles are usually permanently deflected in response to a force applied during the impact of a collision.
Depending on the extent of damage sustained by the vehicle during a collision, the vehicle may be a candidate for collision damage repair. There are about forty thousand vehicle collision repair facilities in the United States. It is estimated that in the United States, vehicle owners and insurance companies expend about twenty-six billion dollars on an annual basis for vehicle collision repair services.
Motor vehicles (automobiles, trucks, buses, etc.) therefore inevitably require maintenance, repairs, or some other service at some point during their useful life. The repair and maintenance of a motor vehicle often requires small parts to be removed and placed aside for later re-installation. During the repair or service process, it is necessary for a mechanic or technician to effectively manage a plurality of parts and components removed from the motor vehicle to ensure that no parts are lost, and also for efficient re-installation.
Efficient management of the disassembly/assembly process for motor vehicles can be a daunting task for a mechanic. This problem is exacerbated when multiple mechanics are servicing the same vehicle. For example, one mechanic may not have a clear understanding of the location of a part(s) that was previously removed from the vehicle by another mechanic, and how the part(s) should be reinstalled. Additionally, during disassembly and reassembly of a motor vehicle, the small parts can be easily misplaced by the one or multiple mechanics servicing the vehicle.
Confusion between mechanics, misplaced parts, and mistakes made during automotive servicing can increase the time to repair or service a vehicle, thus significantly decreasing the efficiency of an automotive shop and increase the overall cost to the shop owner. There is a need in the industry for a system and process for effectively managing and organizing parts during a vehicle repair or service operation that can assist in the efficient disassembly and reassembly of a vehicle.